Wimbledon crowd gives emotional standing ovation to COVID

Wimbledon has returned after a one-year hiatus amid the coronavirus pandemic, and on the opening day of the tennis tournament, those responsible for saving lives, designing vaccines, and raising much-needed funds during this time were honoured with an emotional standing ovation.

On Monday, before world champion Novak Djokovic and the UK's Jack Draper began the first men's singles match on Centre Court, the crowd rose to its feet to applaud scientists, health workers, and those who led the development of COVID-19 vaccines.

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The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, which runs Wimbledon, has officially dedicated the tournament to "individuals and representatives of organisations who have contributed so much in the nation's response to the pandemic," according to the court announcer on Monday. The club has also invited special guests to the Royal Box over the two-week event.

In attendance on Monday was Dame Sarah Gilbert, co-designer of the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, who was applauded with her colleagues. Also present was Hannah Ingram-Moore, daughter of veteran Captain Sir Tom Moore, who raised almost £33 million for National Health Service (NHS) workers by walking laps of his garden.

The very fact that Wimbledon is going ahead this year at all is thanks in large part to people like those honoured (last year, the tournament was cancelled for the first time since World War II).

The moment of the standing ovation is truly emotional, knowing how many people we've lost, but also how many have been saved by the vaccine and tireless work by frontline workers and charitable people simply deciding to do what they can to help.

Watching it without tearing up was hard.